Hell Is Other Transit Systems: Takeaways from Week 1 of We the Commuters

If you're reading this, congratulations! You're a mere evening commute away from completing week one of the promised nightmare of the Penn Station track work.

Except, has it actually been that bad? As a Long Island Rail Road or NJ Transit rider, you've dealt with delays, cancellations, crowds, smells and inaudible conductor instructions before. So did anything about the start of this summer's service changes make things worse? Here are We the Commuters' three major takeaways from week one.

1. When Crossing the Hudson, a Boat Beats a Bus

NJ Transit riders who normally commute to Penn Station on the Morris and Essex Line have a couple options through the end of August: Take a PATH train or a ferry from Hoboken Terminal, or take an NJ Transit bus into the city. Based on the scenic photos posted online, one of those options appeared to be a clear winner.

Maybe it will be the #summerofhell but so far on day 1 it's been a nice change of pace. @wnyc #wethecommuters pic.twitter.com/CP5DyHb6qd

— Courtney (@cmwoodward1) July 11, 2017

Another day crawling into the Lincoln Tunnel on an NJT bus. Why do so many people drive alone into NY? #wethecommuters

— Ellen Herb (@ellen_herb) July 12, 2017

2. With Myriad Options, Some Long Islanders Chose None of Them

As our partners at Patch reported, the Long Island Rail Road saw an 8 percent drop in ridership at the start of the week, and chatter on Facebook indicated that some commuters picked this week as a smart window to take some vacation time. But for the Long Islanders commuting into the city, at least several people decided to beat the heat by getting near-private chauffeur service on air-conditioned buses. And by "several," we mean several. A chunk of the bus service has now been canceled due to low demand.

Hear the LIRR shuttle buses have been underutilized? Marina was the ONLY passenger on her charter bus from Melville this am #WeTheCommuters pic.twitter.com/VqYh4II0jR

— Emma Whitford (@emma_a_whitford) July 12, 2017

3. Turns Out, People Hate the Subway

This week's frustration was supposed to belong to the estimated 17,000 people from New Jersey and Long Island whose normal routes to Penn Station were being modified or canceled. At no point did we ask for your thoughts on subway service. That didn't stop you from sharing them, because the subway system evidently didn't stop being problematic.

Got up x-early today for head start on LIRR commute, only to hear I'll be screwed by E train running w/ delays. #WeTheCommuters #3dWorld

— Indivisible (@cjayesq) July 10, 2017

Ok #7train SOME of us are otw to work at all hours of the day #mta #wethecommuters did I mention it's boiling down here? pic.twitter.com/zWWmNfMoLo

— Celina TL Martinez (@celinaMTL) July 13, 2017

#wethecommuters Fulton Street, 4, 5, madness again. We are at least four deep. It doesn't matter when I get there it is always same recently pic.twitter.com/Msls4RrKrb

— Ann Constantine (@KaniamaKid2) July 12, 2017

We the Commuters hear you. The subway is in bad shape. It's hot. It gets delayed. It's causing some of you to get in trouble at work or even lose wages. 

So next week, we're going to do something about that, together. Stay tuned.